Never Mess With a Pissed-Off Wizard
by Emily Rose Gold
Summary: Set in season four. Giles is tired of Buffy ignoring her responsibilities to him, and decides to set Buffy an example she will never forget.
1. Wizard Tantrums

I found this little gem in my fanfiction folder. I thought I would share this with you guys. I wrote this while listening to Monster by Skillet. I hope you guys like this and please review! I won't update unless someone actually enjoys this enough to read it.

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Giles had no idea what to do about Buffy. A few months ago, she had made a grave miscalculation in error and everything had gone downhill from there. However, he was neither her Watcher nor her father. Sometimes he wondered if he was even her friend. It was not his place to reason with her. He hung his head and sighed, but he could not let her suffer and make bad decisions. He once thought that he had taught her everything he knew, but he was beginning to find that teaching the Slayer never ended. To be honest, he did not want it to end.

Just being around Buffy was as if the sun was shining just for him. She was bubbly and strong. Powerful in a way that he had never seen before. Some of it was the Slayer in her. Most of it was Buffy's spirit. However, every time he had seen her lately that spark had been missing. At first, he had attributed it to that Parker fellow not returning her feelings. Then, after the beer incident he had found out that Parker had "used and abused" his Buffy.

He really should not have done that.

Nor should he have cursed the boy. Really, it had been petty but highly satisfying. Although, a few seconds later Ethan had called sarcastically welcoming him back into the fold. He had instantly cancelled his spell and glowered at the phone. How he hated that man.

Now, she had seemingly moved on. He was hearing whispers of a new beau, one Riley Finn. It was enough to make him go mad. Buffy used to tell him things. They used to be close, but ever since his little lesion with Olivia, Buffy had been slowly eradicating him from her life. He wished he could take those hurtful words back or at least explain to Buffy why he had said them, but explaining to Buffy would show her his true feelings. Which were a complicated subject; a really, really complicated subject.

He had denied it for so long, but Willow's little "will it so" spell had opened his eyes and he faintly wondered why Spike got to be the one to snog Buffy half the night. Giles had almost believed he was going to lose his mind from disgust and anger before the end of that night. When Buffy had asked him to walk her down the aisle he had been touched, and a little disgusted although he could not figure out why. Then Spike had made that crack about him "being like his father." He really wanted to hit him after that. It took a few days of introspection for him to be able to admit all of those feelings he had repressed. Now, he wanted to trash his apartment in frustration.

He was in love with Buffy, and he abhorred himself.

It frustrated him that she could make him feel like a sick, perverted old man. He hated how he doted on her, and made excuse after excuse for her. He loathed that she had this unknown power to send him spiraling into a depression. He had only felt like this once before, and then he had turned to Ethan and his magic. To be honest he was actually thinking of calling the prat and inviting him over for a quick spell; one that would cause Riley's balls to fall off.

To be fair he was not mad at Riley. He could not help that he had fallen for Buffy's charms. It was more that he was angry at Buffy for thinking that Iowa idiot could offer her more than himself. He was a powerful warlock. If truth were told, he could easily kill vampires. Just one twitch of his fingers and they would burst into flame. He did not though. He could not. Down that road led to what Willow called "badness".

The everyday spells that he taught Willow and performed in accordance of his duties were fine. They never bothered him. it was the wild magic caused him to miss the days he was respected.

And feared.

It scared him how much he missed it sometimes. Not the orgies or Eygon. Not even the comradely he shared with his group of friends. It was the magic that he had called idly. The magic that allowed him to change his appearance, read whole books at a single glance, and see into men's minds. It had been so hard to control his urge to use magic in those early days. By the time he had come to Sunnydale he had learned control by repression. Then when that tactic stopped working, he visualized the disappointment he would experience from Buffy and the others. He had only been tempted to use it once, but Angelus was no ordinary vampire and he had known for some time the power that Giles suppressed. Special chains had been made to keep his magic in check, and by the time Xander and Buffy found him, he had been too weak to use his magic. Sometimes, he was grateful that he could not have used his powers. He knew that something dreadful would have happened.

Now he just wanted to immerse himself in the magic that was so much a part of him, and that was Buffy's fault. Well….partly her fault at any rate, she probably would not notice if someone started using magic to decrease the demon population. Buffy was that caught up in her college boy.

Glaring at the teapot he felt a surge of anger and suddenly the tea kittle slammed into the opposite wall. Giles gritted his teeth and began to; metaphorically, bore a whole in the floor with his anger. He should not have done that. Giles became even more angry, but not at himself this time. He was angry at Buffy.

Snarling, he began cleaning up the mess and hissing when the hot water connected with his skin. Cursing he stood up and snapped his fingers. The water zipped back into the tea kittle and it landed lightly on the stove. He smirked; he still had it.

The phone rang and he wondered who it could be. Ethan would not be able to detect the use of his wild magic, as it was an innate sort of magic.

"Hello," Giles' voice was tired and he tried to sound pleasant. He failed.

"Giles?" Willow sounded worried for a moment, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Giles replied with a sigh, "Just ready for bed I guess."

Willow seemed to accept that which caused Giles to feel a spurt of anger. The walls began to rattle and Giles had to count to five before the walls stopped shaking.

"Watcher what was that?" Spike hollered, he sounded freaked out. Giles ignored him.

"Tara and I were calling the corners," Willow began with a frown in her voice, "when Tara felt an unusually strong magical presence. I thought I should call you."

"Why?" Giles asked, and he had a sinking feeling that Tara had detected his own wild magic.

"She said it was angry and depressed," Willow replied worry clouding her voice. "Tara can read auras, both magical and mundane. She knows what she's talking about."

"I'm sure she does," Giles replied trying to hold off the witch-hunt, "But maybe we should wait until she feels it again. It might be someone who is not in a good place now. We should leave it for a few days. If there are still occurrences then we should worry.

"Giles I don't think so," Willow contradicted, "She's already felt it twice in the span of two minutes."

Giles' breathing became labored. He felt, now more than ever, useless. They were not even listening to him anymore. The walls began to rattle again and Spike hollered. Finally losing his cool, Giles snapped his fingers and Spike's screaming came to a strangled halt. He wondered how long he could keep the wanker's mouth sealed without feeling guilty.

"Giles," Willow sounded panicked, "She just felt it again. This time she said the magic was used on a person."

Giles sneered mentally at Spike being counted as a person. Finally, Giles muttered, "We'll look into it tomorrow." He quickly hung up.

Glancing at the bathroom door Giles threw down his towel and shook his head. He was tired. More magic had passed through his fingers tonight then it had in years. Besides, with Spike finally quiet he would be able to get some sleep.

* * *

Willow and Tara knocked franticly. They had not slept a wink the night before. Both were afraid of the implications of what they knew. Was it some dark warlock out to end humankind? Was it an evil demon ready to kill Buffy? Was Ethan Rain back?

The door opened and Giles stood in the doorway. He looked different somehow, more alive than Willow could ever remember seeing him. She suddenly felt uneasy.

"Hello Willow," Giles' voice and tone was cordial but there was an underlying danger about him that set Willow's teeth on edge, "Nice to see you again Tara."

Tara's eyes were wide and she shrank back from Giles. Willow looked at Tara and saw the shocked look on her face. The same one she had been wearing the night before.

"Come in girls," Giles went on seemingly oblivious to Tara's terror, "I've just made breakfast. Spike is rather quiet today so he shouldn't bother us."

Willow nodded mechanically and drug Tara into the house. They both knew that they could possibly be in a desperate situation, but she knew that Giles would not hurt them, if this really was Giles at any rate.

The door snapped shut and Giles leaned up against it. Tara stuttered out, "Y…You d…didn't invite us in for b…breakfast did you?"

"No," His voice became hard and his gaze was no longer friendly.

"What did you do to Spike?" Willow whimpered and Giles rolled his eyes.

"I didn't kill the vampire. I just shut the wanker up. God only knows why Buffy wants him alive. Probably only does it to annoy me."

"Giles…what's wrong?" Willow asked worried.

"I am sick of being undervalued," Giles snarled his anger flaring to the surface. He was having a hard time holding it back. It was like a splinter; the more the anger festered the worse it hurt, "I'm sick of you four patronizing the old man. I am not half as old as you lot think and I'm twice as powerful. Don't test me!"

Willow and Tara took a step back. Tara could feel his power oozing from him and she felt terrified and calm all at once. It was as if his essence were both sides of the same coin: destruction and creation. She felt awed by his power.

"Now," Giles began looking between the two, "Why hasn't Buffy called to tell me she has been patrolling. Or has she been too busy with her college boy to actually heed her calling?"

"Buffy didn't tell you?" Willow whispered and Tara sucked in a breath. This was going to be bad.

"Tell me what?" Giles snarled the air was thick was tension and the crackle of his magic.

"Buffy is a part of the initiative," Willow whispered closing her eyes so she did not have to see Giles' face. She was trembling in fear and sadness. Why didn't Buffy tell him?

"What?" Giles' voice was a deathly whisper and Willow felt herself shake.

"Riley is part of the initiative…" Willow never got the chance to finish. There was a loud crack and Giles was gone. Willow grabbed Tara's hand seeking comfort. Then they quickly left Giles' apartment and headed for the college. They knew exactly where he was going.

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Thank you for reading!


	2. That Pesky Realization

Buffy and Riley were lying on her bed, making-out, when they heard a sharp pop. They glanced up and there was Giles, standing at the foot of Buffy's bed, seething.

"Giles, what's the matter?" Buffy asked as she swiftly stood, having a rather startling urge to put distance between herself and Riley. Riley jumped, less gracefully, to his feet as well instantly in defense mood. He was startled that Buffy knew the intruder.

"Is there perhaps something you haven't told me?" Giles bit out glaring at Buffy in such a way that made her feel three inches tall, "Something about young Finn here maybe?"

"Oh….Giles," Buffy's eyes widened in shock and she put her hand over her mouth, "I didn't tell you about the Initiative?"

"No... Imagine my surprise when Willow informed me," Giles began, "I questioned her as to the reason for your lack of training and patrolling and she told me about the Initiative."

"Mr. Giles," Riley began standing up slowly. Although he was confused as to meeting Buffy's mentor this way, he knew that this situation was dangerous, "It really is none of your business."

Giles snapped his head in Riley's direction and he slammed against the wall.

"Yes it is MY business," Giles growled advancing on Riley, "The Slayer is MY business as I am her WATCHER!" He let Riley slam against the floor, "But you wouldn't understand that. You and your government officials would not understand the workings of the supernatural world if you had ten lifetimes to figure it out."

During this tirade, Buffy had been silently sneaking up behind Giles. She didn't know what she planned to do. This clearly wasn't Giles. He wouldn't use his magic like this, especially against her. However, her musings were cut off when she realized that she could no longer move.

"Tut…tut…tut," Giles clicked his tongue, "You know better than to sneak up on your old, defenseless watcher."

"What did you do with Giles?" Buffy snarled trying in vain to free herself. Suddenly the door burst open and Tara and Willow stumbled in.

"Mr. G…Giles," Tara began softly, "P…Please let B…Buffy go."

Giles glared at Buffy and she suddenly could use her limbs again. She lashed out against Giles but she was swiftly thrown against the opposite wall. Riley was still unable to move.

"Dear, precious, Buffy," Giles taunted, he was so angry that he felt slightly homicidal, "Haven't you realized something yet…I am Giles."

"Ripper," Buffy breathed standing up, "Damn it. I will kill Ethan Rain."

Giles laughed and shook his head, "Ethan didn't do this. You did."

Buffy's eyes widened and Giles grinned at her shock, pain, and fear. Instantly, he was gone and Buffy was left to figure out what happened.

* * *

The group was crowded in Xander's basement. Everyone was talking at once and freaking out except Anya. For once, she was quite as she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. She had been afraid of this. She had heard of Ripper before meeting Giles. In his Ripper days, he had made demons tremble in awe and fear, and she thought it better to not go anywhere near that violent wizard. Then he hadn't been afraid to use his magic, now he was terrified, but she knew his loneliness outweighed that fear. She knew that they had to move quickly before Giles brought the town down on their heads.

Finally, Anya stood and screamed for the group to shut-up. The group looked at her in surprise causing Anya to roll her eyes and sigh in annoyance.

"There is something that you should know about Giles," Anya stopped for a second and then plunged onward, "Giles, he is not a normal Watcher. Or even a normal Warlock. He is what is called an innate magic user. Some people have even called them Wizards."

"Giles is a Wizard," Xander whistled to himself and looked awed, as was only right and respectful. Buffy frowned "Why didn't he tell us?"

"He did," Anya corrected, "We all know about Ripper. He is the manifestation of Giles' magic."

"So what do we do?" Willow asked and Tara nodded in support of Willow's question.

Anya sighed and looked at Buffy, "The only way to get through to him is if Buffy is totally honest with herself and Giles."

The group looked at Buffy and she swallowed. If that was what it took to save Giles then he was doomed.

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Giles slammed his head against the wall as he suppressed the tears that threatened to fall. He was both upset and angry. He was angry that she had completely disregarded him and kept this secret, and he was upset because know he truly knew where he stood with them all.

Giles glanced at the liquor cabinet and made a very hasty decision. He would get drunk, and then he would pass out. If he were lucky, he would no longer feel the pain of his loss. He would just be pleasantly numb. And really, that's all he wanted anymore. Giles was tired of wanting more than the bare minimum.

It always bit him in the ass later.

Giles pulled out a bottle of scotch and turned up the bottle drinking half in one gulp. He stumbled to the couch and flopped down, staring at the blackened screen of the telly. He didn't know how long he sat there drinking the rest of the bottle slowly as he dwelled on his anger, pain and misery.

A small part of him wished his desire for his charge was only physical. At least then, he would feel free to seek other company, but it was more than that. He loved her, plain and simple. It was a love so profound that he could hardly speak of it or even acknowledge it, because if he did, he would lose all sense of self and give himself wholly to Buffy.

Whether she knew it or not.

Suddenly the door burst open and he jumped to his feet, a red ball of fire swirling in his hand. He was in no mood for demons to come busting in on him. However, he checked himself from throwing it when he noticed that it was Buffy, who had stormed into his living room. Sighing, the fireball winked out of existence and he flopped back down on the sofa.

"What do you want?"

"Want to explain that little confrontation between us this morning?" Buffy demanded hands on hips, lips pursed, and eyes blazing. She had never looked more attractive, and Giles could feel himself harden. He looked away from her and took a long draught from his bottle.

"Not particularly."

Giles heard a snarl, and then he watched as the bottle left his hands and shattered against the far wall. He sniffed and looked up at a seething Buffy.

"Now that was just rude," Giles stood in the confined space, never taking his eyes off Buffy, and then turned to get another bottle. He was Ripper, and he was sure as hell not going to be intimidated in his own home.

"You barged into my dorm and then assaulted my boyfriend. Not to mention me," Buffy began pacing back and forth, "And I want to know why."

"Well my dear," Giles began as he uncorked a bottle of Scotch, "I was rather pissed. It's not every day that a Watcher finds out his Slayer is cheating on him with a government organization."

Buffy opened her mouth to replay, but then quickly shut it. He used such intimate words, HIS Slayer and cheating on. Buffy felt that these words were clues to the origin of Giles' inner turmoil. So for once, Buffy reigned in her anger.

"And I'm sorry," Buffy began, but Giles cut her off.

"Tell me love," Giles turned around a glass of Scotch in his hand, "Do you love to torment me? Is this some sick form of entertainment to you?"

"Giles….no," Buffy began taking a step toward him. The pain in his eyes was immense. It cut her like a knife and she felt compelled to take a step closer to him, and then a second, but she stopped at the third, when he took a shot of Scotch.

"Then what is it?" Giles snarled, his hands clenched so tightly around his glass that his knuckles where turning white, "Do you not want me in your life anymore?"

"No," Buffy replied faintly, thinking the whole time that this was not her fault, well…..not entirely her fault anyway.

"But if you think this is all my fault then you are sorely mistaken," Buffy suddenly thundered, her words running together. However, Giles knew how to speak Buffy and he easily made out her words.

"Explain that one love," Giles snapped and he glared at his Slayer. Buffy tried to ignore the warmth in the pit of her stomach when he called her love. He had never called her that, except when he was Ripper. She had liked it then too. It made her feel special, even if Giles had not meant it that way.

"You told me that I was going to have to deal with life on my own," Buffy exploded, "You were standing right there, in a robe, acting like an extremely sexy Hugh Heffner and told me that you would rather spend your time shagging an old girlfriend then being with me!"

Giles stood there, stunned. For one, he had thought that misunderstanding had been taken care of. Two, she had called him an "extremely sexy Hugh Heffner" and three she seemed to think that sleeping with Olivia had been a betrayal. There was clearly something more going on in her blonde Buffy head then was normal.

"For God's sake Buffy I thought that was taken care of!" Giles burst out finally finding his voice, "I told you I had made a mistake and I apologized. Is it my fault that you did not inform me that I was not forgiven?"  
Buffy stomped her foot like a spoiled five year old and snapped, "Yes, because you didn't ask. You just assumed that I had forgiven you; which was totally not the right assumption. And then you brought her back here Giles. You brought that whore back here!"

Giles just watched as Buffy raged and realized that she was acting like a very jealous wife.

"I'm so mad at you that I don't even want to be in the same room with you; let alone share valuable information with you," Buffy continued, "I mean come on Giles, you CHEATED ON ME!"

Buffy abruptly stopped pacing and her eyes widened. Giles eyes widened as well and he dropped his Scotch glass. The room was silent as the grave and the tension only grew thicker. Finally, Giles got a hold of himself and he walked toward Buffy, who was still standing shock still, trembling. She did not even look like she was breathing.

He put his hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. Her eyes focused on him and he asked quietly, but urgently, "How did I cheat on you? She is not a new slayer come to take your place."

"She did take my place," Buffy insisted, her voice was faraway, it was as if she only let herself realize the answer to a very troubling problem, "The very fact that you chose her over me meant that she took my place."

"Oh Buffy," Giles whispered pulling her in his arms, "My dearest, Buffy. Nothing and nobody can take your place."

She looked into his eyes, and Buffy only saw love for her. There was still anger and there was still hurt, but the love was strong then either. Buffy smiled slightly and put her hands on either side of Giles' head. There was a warmth spreading threw a part of her that had not been warm long before she had ever been the Slayer.

"Giles," Buffy whispered, "Do you mean that?"

"Yes," Giles replied breathlessly. She was so very close to him. He only had to move an inch forward and he would be kissing her.

"Nobody could take your place either," Buffy replied tightening her hold on Giles, "The Initiative is cold, and they have no idea what our world is really like. I get bad vibes from that place."

"Do you mean it?" Giles whispered, echoing her words. Buffy found herself nuzzling their noses together.

"Of course," Buffy's hot breath was on Giles's face and it was all he could do to hold himself in check. He was deathly afraid that they were not speaking the same language.

"Buffy, I'm not sure you know what you're saying," Giles replied, but Buffy just laughed, huskily.

"I do know what I'm saying," Buffy replied kissing the side of his lips. Giles' eyes widened and his breathing quickened, but he let Buffy lead. She was the type that would spook easily.

"I am such an idiot," Buffy laughed, "Willow said that my feelings toward Olivia was a little over the top. Xander thought I sounded nuts when I contemplated throwing her in a vampire's den. Anya thought I sounded jealous. At the time, I thought she meant jealous that you were getting some and I wasn't. You know Anya; everything is sex with her so I just assumed that was what she meant. Turns out I was the one with the gutter brain."

Giles smiled and placed his hands on her hips.

"So, you're telling me that you were jealous of Olivia because she was in my bed instead of you?" Giles wanted to be very clear.

"Yep," Buffy replied in her upbeat manner, "Looks like it. Man did I suppress that or what?"

"But why did you suppress it?" Giles asked bringing Buffy flush up against him. Buffy gasped as she felt his erection and found herself rubbing her thigh against it. Giles gritted his teeth.

"Because I thought you only saw me as a daughter," Buffy replied with a sigh, "I know that Travers is a jerk but it never occurred to me that he had lied about that."

"Oh he lied," Giles smiled wickedly, "Or read the signs wrong. Good thing too or he would have sent me to the mother country."

Buffy giggled and moved her hands and wrapped her arms around his neck. Both stood there and stared at each other. Finally, Buffy asked, "You going to kiss me?"

"I would," Giles began, "But I'm afraid you will change your mind."

"You're afraid I'm going to freak out aren't you?" Buffy's smiled widened. Giles knew her so well. She was a fool to not let herself come to this realization sooner.

"Very much," Giles began to say but Buffy cut him off. She gently placed her lips on his. The kiss was good and sweet and felt wonderful. Giles deepened it and tightened his hold on Buffy. Buffy smiled into his mouth and pulled back after a few minutes. Both were breathing hard and flushed, but both were happy.

"Giles," Buffy whispered nuzzling his neck.

"Yes my love?" Giles asked relishing the feel of her nose on his neck.

"I love you," Buffy whispered kissing his collarbone.

Giles smiled and made her look at him, "I love you too."

"Good," Buffy replied with a bright smile, "Because whether you like it or not, you are all mine and never going to another woman for as long as I live."  
"I'm glad we agree on something," Giles replied with a soft smile, "Because you are not going anywhere for as long as I live."

Buffy sighed and leaned against Giles. They stood there, soaking in their mutual love and basking in the glow when Buffy realized that Giles' house was unnaturally quiet.

She pulled away from Giles and gave him a severe look, "Rupert Giles what did you do to Spike?"

Giles grinned at Buffy and said sheepishly, "I stopped him from speaking.

Buffy's severe look turned into a wicked grin and she found herself asking, "Can I go and torment him? Can I? You'll let me right?"

Giles laughed aloud at her eager face. It was strange how fast certain things changed and yet, still stay the same.

"Of course my love," Giles replied and Buffy raced toward the bathroom door, "Anything you want."

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Thanks for reading my little two-shot!


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